Fried Green Tomato BLTs

For the Tomatoes:
In a medium bowl, mix buttermilk and hot sauce. In another medium, shallow bowl or plate, mix together flour, cornmeal and spices. Slice your tomatoes.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven on medium-high heat for at least 5 minutes, or until very hot. Submerge a tomato into the buttermilk and then dredge it in the flour-cornmeal mixture. Shake off the excess and set aside on a plate until ready to fry. Continue with all the tomatoes. Place the tomatoes into the oil, making sure they aren’t overly crowded. Fry them in batches if necessary. Once golden brown on one side, flip and fry the other side until browned. Then remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside. Continue with the rest of the tomatoes.

For the sandwiches:
Sprinkle pepper on both sides of the bacon. Cook in the oven or in a pan over medium heat until crispy, and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread. Spread mayo on the other side. Layer one or two tomatoes on top of the mayo side of the bread, then three slices of bacon, then the lettuce. Top with another piece of bread (butter side out) to form a sandwich.

In a medium fry pan over medium-high heat, add the sandwich and cook until the bread is golden brown. Flip and cook the other side of the sandwich. Cut in half and enjoy with hot sauce, if desired!

Alternatively, you could just fry the pieces of bread and then assemble the sandwiches.